Having proved his fitness on the England A tour over the last few weeks to the selectors' satisfaction, Jones leaves India today for a journey that will end with him joining Vaughan's Test squad in the Caribbean.

England hope Jones - who has battled back from a sickening cruciate ligament injury suffered on Ashes duty in November 2002 - will be able to link up against the West Indies with Steve Harmison as part of a formidable, if still inexperienced, pace attack.

But Vaughan, speaking at a Gatwick press conference as his team prepare to fly out today, is anxious no-one expects too much too soon from Jones or Harmison.

"We have to be realistic," he said. "Steve missed out in Sri Lanka through injury, and Simon has not played international cricket for a long period and has only ever played one (full) Test match.

"He has come back well and proved his fitness in India. But we need to give him a little time to adjust to international cricket once again and let him settle in.

"I look at our team and their team and there is experience in the batting but inexperience in the bowling."

Jones was forced out of first-class cricket for more than a year after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane in November 2002.

After three Second XI games for Glamorgan at the tail end of last summer, he returned to serious action with England A only this month and has had some mixed performances.

Although he took 10 wickets in a match for the first time in his career against Tamil Nadu province last week, he has also had the odd knee twinge and came in for some heavy punishment yesterday - 0-89 off 13.5 overs - as South Zone scored 501 in the fourth innings to record an improbable victory.

Vaughan accepts he does not yet know what shape the Glamorgan bowler will be in when he arrives in the West Indies to face Brian Lara and company.

But he is nonetheless convinced England have an outstanding opportunity to push for a first series victory on Caribbean soil since 1968.

"We have a fantastic chance of going out there and doing very well," he said.

"Taking 20 wickets is obviously going to be crucial but with the batting it is going to be vital to get big runs and put the West Indies under pressure.

"My job as an opening batter is to get a lot of runs and get the team off to a good start. We've got a settled top six now with a lot of experience. It's crucial to get runs on the board."

England were beaten in their last Test series in Sri Lanka before Christmas, when they were largely undone by the spin of Muttiah Muralitharan.

And Vaughan is pleased they will not be coming up against him in the Caribbean.

He said, "When up against a bowler of Murali's stature in those conditions he is very difficult.

"But no doubt the atmosphere in the grounds will be different. Everyone says it is a fantastic place to play.

"I'm looking forward to it and the games will probably be played at a different pace.

"We've got to work hard and get on top of the attack. The West Indies have just been beaten convincingly by South Africa but, on home soil, they are tough to beat and we will have to work very hard."